"Still work to do" – Sea Devils stay focused after win
Felix Pahl
© Henning RohlfsThe Hamburg Sea Devils made a triumphant return to their home ground, Stadion Hoheluft, defeating Berlin Thunder 31–14 in front of a passionate home crowd. Despite the heavy rain, the atmosphere was electric, as fans embraced the true Hamburg “Schietwetter” with unwavering enthusiasm.
“It was a great feeling to finally be back at Stadion Hoheluft,” said Hamburg General Manager Mark Weitz. “Despite the rain, the mood was fantastic — the fans really celebrated the event with passion. You can feel the team growing closer and more connected on the field. It makes us excited for what’s to come.”
Strong start lays the foundation
Hamburg dominated early, setting the tone with a 29-yard pick-six by Jeremy Hecker. Moments later, quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa lit up the field with an 84-yard touchdown pass to Terryon Robinson, sending the crowd into celebration. The Sea Devils continued their momentum with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jean-Claude Madin Cerezo before the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Levi Kruse capped off a solid drive with a 12-yard rushing touchdown. Hamburg led 28–0 at halftime — a commanding advantage built through sharp execution.
“We started really strong, especially in the first half,” said team captain Levi Kruse. “We slowed down a bit in the second half — that’s something we need to fix. When we have control like that, we can’t let up. But now, we celebrate the win. On Tuesday, it’s back to work.”
Watch the Thunder at Sea Devils highlights here!
Defense steps up in difficult conditions
Heavy rain in the second half made offense more difficult for both teams, but Hamburg’s defense continued to impress. Head Coach Lee Rowland praised his players for their resilience: “It wasn’t a pretty game — the rain made it hard for everyone. Our run game struggled, but I’m very happy with the defense. They did a really good job. There’s still work to do on offense.”
A 47-yard field goal from Eric Schlomm added to the Sea Devils’ score in the second half. Berlin found the end zone twice in the final quarter, but the result was never truly in doubt.
Looking ahead
With the win, Hamburg improves to a 2–2 record. They will travel to Düsseldorf in Week 5 to face Rhein Fire in one of the ELF’s biggest rivalries. The Sea Devils return home again on June 22 for their next game at Stadion Hoheluft.